My Best Friend
by StarstruckKittenSweets
Summary: A small one-shot in which Alice receives her first Pokémon, Pikachu. But Pikachu doesn't take a liking to her at first. Will she be able to gain his trust at all? Told in Pikachu's POV, written for your enjoyment as well as in celebration of the two-year anniversary of my story 'Best Wishes'.


**Hello, my readers! And welcome to my 2-year anniversary celebration of my story _Best Wishes_! In celebration of continuing that story for 2 years now, I'd decided I would post a special one-shot centering on the origin of Pikachu and Alice. What do I mean by that?**

 **The very first episode, of course!**

 **This is basically _Pokémon - I Choose You!_ written in Pikachu's POV, but it has some background information on where Pikachu came from before being given to Alice.**

 **Remember this as you read, though:**

 **1) Just as he was with Ash, Pikachu is kind of cruel to Alice in the beginning.**

 **2) Alice is 10 years old, and she's a somewhat different person than her Unova self when she's 15.**

 **And that's about it. At 6,012 words, I give you _My Best Friend_!**

 **Oh, by the way, I recommend you listen to 'Tears After the Cloudy Weather' when you reach the end. It reminds me of the original episode and gets me emotional, just so you know.**

 **Disclaimer: I do NOT own Pokémon. I only own my character, Alice.**

* * *

My Best Friend

Pikachu's POV

 _A mistake. A mishap. Something that should have never been born._

Those were the cruel words that were spit out of Squirtle's mouth. It was hard to believe such vile and hateful statements poured out of such a cute and seemingly innocent Pokémon like Squirtle. But they did, and what made it worse was the fact Bulbasaur and Charmander joined in on the taunting.

I was the only Pikachu in Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town, originating from a pack of Pikachu from Viridian Forest. In fact, I was the only non-Bulbasaur-Charmander-Squirtle Pokémon in history at his lab. And that fact alone singled me out as a freak.

It seemed even the professor thought I was a freak. My Poké Ball was kept in a secluded area below the Starters' platform. He rarely told any new Trainer about me, or even if he did, they'd always choose a Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle.

 _I was destined to be alone_ , I thought to myself one night. My dark brown eyes were hidden behind a thick layer of salty tears as I pondered over the fact I was going to be alone forever, with the title FREAK hovering over me. _No one was going to want me_ , I realized. It seemed it was true for a lengthy period of time.

 _Until I was assigned a Trainer_.

* * *

I first knew something was wrong when I was released from my Poké Ball. I never was, unless it was nighttime or early in the morning. But I could tell, from the dark red window the top of my Poké Ball provided, it was late in the morning, the sun beating down on Pallet Town.

The cold surface of the table melted under my back paws, and as I felt myself adjusting to the stillness of the air of the lab, I shook my head.

"His name is Pikachu," I heard the professor say.

My black-tipped ears perked up, and my dark brown eyes opened up. There, standing in front of me, was a young girl.

She looked to be around ten years old—a new Trainer, I assumed—and wore pink-striped shorts and a flower-coated pink shirt over her light tan skin. Her eyes, although the color of the bright blue sky, reminded me of oceans. They were so deep and mystical, like she was so much more than what her appearance claimed. A bundle of thick, messy black hair that stretched down to her shoulders rested on her head. Leaves and specks of dirt sprinkled the midnight-colored locks that stuck out along her face.

 _Sheesh, did this kid ever run a brush through her hair?_

Nevertheless, I gave her the tiniest of smiles. But inside, I was a complete mess. Was this the day I was finally going to get a Trainer? But was I ready to be a first Pokémon to a new Trainer like this one?

I was young and confident then, so of _course_ I would be ready to face anything that came my way. But was this Trainer good for me was the real question.

"Aw," she cooed, her voice slightly high-pitched, "he's so cute! He's the best of all!"

"You'll see," Professor Oak muttered, eyeing me wearily.

The girl reached out and locked her skinny arms around my chubby yellow body. She pulled me in and held me against the fabric of her pink T-shirt. "Hi there, Pikachu!"

A growl ripped through my throat. " _You're crushing me_." I glared against the pink fabric, uncomfortable in her embrace.

"He's also called the Electric Mouse," the professor informed the girl, as if she was actually paying any attention. "He's usually shy, but can sometimes have an electrifying personality."

She was squeezing the life out of me, and I didn't like it one bit. My cheeks sparked with small electric bolts, and without thinking, I released a bolt of electricity on her. She screamed in pain and shock, but I kept the pressure on. I'd teach her to respect such a precious creature like myself.

I finally quit expelling electric power, and the girl's arms loosened their grip. "I see what you mean," she forced out, her body frozen. I hid a smirk of accomplishment in the pink fabric.

The professor nodded at her. "Shocking, isn't it?" He turned around to the table behind him and took a small red flip-open Pokédex and five Poké Balls from it. He turned around to the girl and handed them to her. "Now, take these—your Pokédex and Poké Balls."

"Thank you!"

But as she took them in her tiny hands, with one arm still wrapped around me tightly, I released yet another bolt of lightning on her. But my attack shocked the professor, as well.

* * *

The girl took me outside and finally placed me down on the ground. My paws hit the soft dirt and I breathed in the chilly air around me. But when I opened my eyes, a medium-sized crowd stood in front of me and the girl.

They were amateur, all of the residents from Pallet Town. They clunked metal pots and pans together, passing them off as instruments as they played a choppy tune. At the sight of them—and one woman in particular—the girl's cheeks flushed a dark red color.

"Mom!" she groaned, glaring at the woman in front.

The woman, who sported brown hair tied back in a ponytail and brown eyes, was dressed in a purple skirt that reached down to her knees, a pink sweater with a yellow undershirt, and flat, pale yellow shoes. She smiled at the girl as she clutched a small pink backpack to her chest.

"Oh, Alice," she whispered, tears pricking the corners of her brown eyes, "I'm so proud of you! You're finally going to fulfill your dream and start your Pokémon training. But I'm...I'm going to miss you so much!" She buried her face in the pink backpack, sniffling slightly. "Oh, my little girl!"

My pointy yellow ear twitched at the girl's name. " _Alice, huh_?" I guess it suited her, but I would've guessed her as more of a Taylor, or maybe a Raven. That mop of black hair she had would've let me away from the whole "Alice" assumption.

The woman, who I assumed was Alice's mother, stepped closer to her daughter and unzipped the pink backpack. She started listing the names of several items as she practically threw them into her arms.

"I packed your sneakers and skirts, nice clean shirts and underwear, and your favorite snacks, and some hot chocolate, in case you want something hot, but be careful not to burn yourself! And a pair of rubber gloves to do your laundry, and a new clothesline to hang it out to dry—"

Alice snatched the backpack away from her, her face as red as a Charmander's Ember attack. "Mom! You're embarrassing me in front of all these people! Don't you know I'm a big kid now? Pokémon Trainers can take care of themselves!"

"I understand," her mother replied with a sad smile. She suddenly looked down and eyed me with a skeptical look, her eyebrow raised. "That's your Pokémon?"

I twitched my tail in annoyance. " _You don't need to sound so disappointed, lady_ ," I growled at her, but of course, it only came out as a soft "Pika".

Alice looked down at me and smiled widely, looking quite proud of herself. "Yup. That's my Pokémon!"

I looked up at her, my eyes meeting her sky-colored orbs in a seemingly tired and annoyed glance. She jolted slightly, but quickly masked her insecurities with a smile in her mother's direction.

"With Pikachu at my side, I'll get all the Pokémon in the world!"

 _Jeez, she really has some goals set for herself, huh?_

Her mom gave me another look that could only be mastered by a mother. You know, that look that says, "You're in trouble, and you know it." To be honest, it makes me feel uneasy. "I thought all Pokémon stayed inside their Poké Balls," she pointed out. "Why not this one?"

The mention of the Poké Ball that confined me for so many months makes me gasp. _No... Not back into that captive hell! I'm done with that device controlling me!_

"Oh, yeah." Alice nodded, unhooked my Poké Ball from the waistband of her pink pajama shorts and held it up. "Pikachu, get in the Poké Ball now."

But when she tossed it down to me, I flicked it away with my ear. " _Nope_."

It bounced back into her hand, and she looked at me in confusion. She tried again, and at a different angle, too, but I swayed my tail to the side, knocking it away and into her hand again.

" _Sorry_."

She tossed it down again, but I knocked it with my ear.

" _Not gonna happen_."

Again, but with my tail.

" _Stop trying_."

Ear.

" _No_."

Tail.

" _Quit it_."

Ear.

" _Just no_."

Tail.

After around the tenth toss, Alice's mother cooed at us. "Oh, you're playing catch! You're friends already!"

Even though she looked so fed up and annoyed with me, she forced a smile through a thin layer of frustrated tears as she leaned down and picked me up. "Yup. Pikachu and I are best friends, aren't we?"

As I stared at her, watching the tears shimmer in her blue eyes, I felt the tiniest twang of guilt. I didn't like making her upset, but I wasn't going in that Poké Ball again. Hell, now that I thought about it, I wasn't going to _obey_ her if she kept getting close to crying if things didn't go her way.

 _What a crybaby._

"But," her mother began with an unsure expression, "it's a little weird."

I shot her a glare, and before I knew it, I was expelling yet another powerful bolt of electricity. As my power shocked the entire crowd, as well as Alice and her mother, I heard Professor Oak yell over to Alice:

"Those rubber gloves your mom packed will come in handy!"

"Why?!"

"Rubber doesn't conduct electricity!" he shouted back.

I eased up on my power, and the electric cloud that formed over the crowd faded away. Each person, including Alice and her mother, fell to the ground in pain and exhaustion.

"Don't forget to change your underwear," her mother muttered, causing Alice's cheeks to brighten with blood, "every...single...day..."

As she groaned in frustration, I hid a small giggle. Traveling with this kid was going to be a blast.

For me, I meant. I wasn't so sure about her.

* * *

" _This is so embarrassing_!" I screamed, trying to untie the thin rope around my waist.

Alice, now dressed in a plain blue T-shirt, a white jacket, a red and black plaid skirt, white sneakers, a blue Poké Ball hat, and white sneakers, along with blue fingerless gloves, dragged me up the dirt hill of Route 1, away from Pallet Town. As she wore the pink rubber gloves over her fingerless gloves, she gripped the clothesline tightly, the other end wrapped around my torso.

Digging my feet into the dirt, I tried skidding myself to a stop, but she was just too strong. But _I_ think it was because I was a tiny Pikachu, and _she_ was a human. So as always, humans have more muscle power than Pokémon, but Pokémon have more _power_ -power than humans.

She finally stopped in her tracks when we made it up the hill, panting slightly, and turned around to me. Kneeling down, she stared at me with those pretty blue orbs.

"Pikachu, are you going to be like this the whole way to Viridian City?"

Crossing my arms, I replied, " _Yes_."

"Is it because you don't like me?"

" _Kinda_."

She looked a little hurt at my answer, but thankfully, she didn't burst into tears like I half-expected her to. "Well, I like you a lot," she muttered. "And since you're the Pokémon I'm training, don't you think you could be just a little nicer and just open your mouth and tell me what's wrong?"

Smirking, I turned to her and opened my mouth up wide, revealing my two rows of sharp white teeth proudly. " _Here ya go_!"

Alice shifted slightly in confusion. "Uh, that's not exactly what I meant." I stared at her, awaiting her next question. "Is your name the only thing you can say?"

" _Yup_."

Her red cheeks puffed out in annoyance, and she frowned at me. "Well then, you're just like all Pokémon, and you should act like one and get inside the Poké Ball, just like it says in the Pokédex."

I growled at her choice of words. _Me_ , just like _any other Pokémon_?! How dare she say such a thing! I was not like any other ordinary Pikachu!

But being the stuck-up know-it-all who claimed to do everything by the books, she flipped open her new red Pokédex, which stated the following in a robotic voice:

 **While being trained, a Pokémon usually stays in its Poké Ball.**

"See?"

She smirked at me, so I jumped up and, instead of smacking her in the face like I should have, slammed my paw down on the yellow button on the Pokédex. It spoke again.

 **However, there are many exceptions. Some Pokémon hate being confined.**

But she merely shrugged and slipped the Pokédex into the pocket of her jacket. "Okay then, no problem." She reached over and untied the clothesline bound around my torso. The pressure that built up around my stomach was released, and I let out a small puff of breath. "And I'll get rid of these." She ripped off the rubber gloves and tossed them on top of the clothesline. "How's that?"

I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head. " _You'll have to do better than that, kiddo_."

She sighed. "Still not good enough?"

" _Nope_."

The light sounds of pebbles being kicked and dirt being scuffled reached our ears, and the two of us turned around to see a tiny Pidgey in the tall grass nearby, pecking away at the ground. At the sight of the Flying-type, Alice's eyes shone with excitement.

"A Pidgey!"

 **Pidgey is a Flying-type Pokémon. Among all the Flying-type Pokémon, it is the gentlest and easiest to capture. A perfect target for the beginning Pokémon Trainer to test her Pokémon skills.**

"It's our lucky day!" Alice cheered. "Pikachu, go get it!"

I yawned, the muscles in my legs tingling with exhaustion. " _Nah, I don't think I will._ "

Alice's face fell once again, and I expected the tears to roll in at any second. "Aren't you ever going to listen to me?"

" _Not that I know of_."

"But why not?" she whined.

" _Maybe your tone can answer that question_!"

And with that, I ran over to a nearby tree. I quickly scurried up the bark and to the nearest branch. Looking down at her, and smirking inwardly as I saw those tears start to reveal themselves, I stuck my tongue out.

" _Crybaby_!"

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands with so much force she nearly punched herself in the face. "Okay, I get the message!" she yelled at me. "I don't want your help; I don't even need it! I can get Pidgey all by myself!"

 _Oh, this will be great!_

She turned away and her hand flew behind her. She locked her fingers around an empty Poké Ball and unclipped it from her belt, holding it up to her face as she pressed the small circular button.

"I pledged to catch all the Pokémon in the world," she murmured to herself. "Now, I'm ready to take the next step to be the number one Pokémon Master!"

I rolled my eyes and leaned back on the branch. Did she really need to say this whole speech every time she met a wild Pokémon?

"Enjoy your last moments of freedom, Pidgey, 'cause you're all mine!" she yelled. "Poké Ball, go!"

She threw the Poké Ball with as much force as she could possibly muster. The Poké Ball tapped the Pidgey's head and opened up, sucking it into the device in a red jet of light.

"I did it!" she cheered.

My eyes widened. _She actually did!_

But when the Poké Ball landed on the ground, it shook a few times, and finally burst open. The Ball flew back and landed into Alice's small gloved hands. The Pidgey flew out and landed back on the ground, shaking its head.

The sight of her devastated face and those large tears threatening to dribble down her cheeks made me giggle. I didn't even attempt to cover my mouth with my paws to stifle it; I laughed out loud, my back pressing against the tree bark.

 **To capture a Pokémon, you usually have your own Pokémon battle with the other.**

Alice glared at the small red Pokédex in her jacket pocket. "Now he tells me." At her cluelessness, and the glare she sent me, I laughed even louder. "But I have to do everything myself!" She suddenly gasped, her blue eyes widening. "Wait, I've got an idea!"

She quickly slipped her white jacket of her shoulders and held it out in front of her. She walked towards the Pidgey, keeping her steps light and soft.

"It's okay," she whispered. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Pidgey." At its name, the Flying-type's head shot up, and it stared at her with beady black eyes. "...Hello, there..."

She suddenly lunged and threw the jacket over the Flying-type. The Pokémon squirmed and fidgeted under the white fabric, but she kept her arms and hands pinned on the sleeves.

From under the jacket, a gusty wind stirred up. Alice and her jacket were both thrown upwards as a black spiral of wind, dirt and leaves rose up from the fabric. Alice landed on the ground below the tree, groaning in pain. Her white jacket fell onto the dirt in front of her, smudging with sand.

"What happened?" she muttered between her leached teeth.

 **Pidgey's Gust power creates tornadoes. It also has a sand attack.**

"Sand?!"

The Pidgey, now directly in front of her face, scuffed its small but sharp talons in the dirt, spraying sand in her eyes. She cried out and say up, rubbing her eyes. Satisfied with its work, Pidgey nodded and flew off, its brown wings flapping violently.

Alice sighed heavily as she watched the Pidgey fly away. "I guess it's not my lucky day."

I couldn't help it—I laughed so hard I nearly fell off the branch. The sight of such a clueless Trainer was just too funny to comprehend. She was totally helpless! It was a mater of seconds before she started crying again.

She suddenly whipped around, her eyes locked onto her pink backpack near the trunk of the tree. A small dark purple creature rummaged through it, nosing its snout in the soft fabric.

"Hey! Get out of there!"

Waving her arms, Alice ran over to the tree as the creature looked up. A piece of bread locked in its jaws, it scurried off into the bushes.

 **A forest Pokémon, Rattata. It likes cheese, nuts, fruits, and berries.**

"Yeah, but this isn't a forest!" Alice snapped at the small device poking out of her pocket. "It's an open field!"

 **It also comes out into fields to steal food from stupid travelers.**

Her face fell, and she sank to her knees in the soft dirt. "That means...I'm stupid?"

I laughed even harder at her facial expression. My sides were starting to squeeze with pain, but I couldn't ease up. This was hilarious!

Looking down below, I saw Alice turn around to see a small flock of Pidgey gathered in the tall grass. She stood up, holding a small pebble, and, either in anger or a pathetic attempt to catch one, threw the pebble at them. As the small stone hit the ground, the Pidgey shrieked and flapped their wings, carrying themselves away from the field.

But one Pidgey, coated in the shadows of the tall grass, seemed to remain behind, abandoning its flock. "I'll get you this time!" Alice shouted. She chucked another pebble at the bird, but this time, the stone bounced off its head. "I got it!" she cheered.

The bird suddenly lifted up in the air, glaring at Alice. It wasn't a Pidgey at all—it was more pointy-like and had spiked brown feathers instead of smooth tan ones.

"What's that?" Alice asked, tilting her head.

 **Unlike Pidgey, Spearow has a terrible attitude. It is very wild, and will sometimes attack other Pokémon and humans.**

The bird suddenly swooped towards Alice, but she dove into the soft dirt. Landing on her hands and knees, she whipped around and shielded her face just in time for the Spearow to swoop in yet again.

As it flew around, its beady black eyes suddenly locked onto me, and it zoomed through the air like a bullet. Its spiky wing clipped my side, and I staggered, waving my arms around to regain my balance. The Spearow clipped my other side, and I tumbled down. Luckily, I locked my stubby yellow arms around the tree branch.

My heart was racing, and I couldn't concentrate. What was this Spearow's problem?! Why did it want to attack me all of a sudden?!

"Leave Pikachu alone!" Alice shouted feebly from the ground. "He didn't throw the pebble! I did!"

 _She's taking the blame_ , I realized. Although it _was_ her fault, it was rare for a kid her age to take the blame for anything, their fault or not.

 **Wild Pokémon tend to be jealous of human-trained Pokémon.**

The Spearow lunged again, and this time, fully hit me in the arm. My injured arm loosened its grip on the branch, and I felt myself slipping. My mind went fuzzy; I didn't want to believe I was hanging from my doom.

As the Spearow continued to clip me with its razor-sharp wings, memories flooded into my mind—memories of Squirtle chiding me like I was a baby, a measly Pichu.

 _"You're not worth it, you know," Squirtle said to me once. "I don't know why Professor Oak adopted you. He should've just left you in Viridian Forest."_

 _Charmander twitched his flame-tipped tail in agreement, a smirk plastered on his red face. "We were so much better without you here. Now you're just a bother. Not to mention, you're as weak as a Magikarp."_

 _My red cheeks bristled with lightning sparks. "I'm not weak!"_

 _I could feel a burning sensation rip through my chest. Determination, I realized later. Determination that I would not allow myself to be ridiculed by these...these_ _ **monsters**_ _._

That same fiery determination flared up in my chest as I saw the Spearow soar through the air, aiming towards me. I wouldn't let myself be taunted by Spearow; I would prove I wasn't weak.

"Pikachu!" Alice called from below.

And that's when I lost it.

Electric waves pounded through my body, sending vibrations throughout my veins, and I released my stored electric energy in the form of a bolt. The bolt lashed out and connected with Spearow, freezing it in the air as it cried out in pain.

"You got it!" Alice cheered as I let go of the branch.

I panted slightly, letting a small smirk reveal itself on my lips. " _I guess I did_." I let out a _pfft_ noise once the words were out of my mouth. " _Of_ course _I did_!"

The Spearow, recoiling in pain, threw its head back and let out a harsh, piercing caw. Immediately, numerous Spearow flooded the skies, black dots against the bright blue color, their talons and beaks aimed right for us.

My heart seemed to turn to stone and drop to the pit of my stomach. I wasn't ready to face on a whole flock of Spearow like this! I could feel the confidence I built up when I was when shocking that lone Spearow slip away as I stared at the large flock even longer.

"Sh-should we run?" I heard Alice whimper through chattering teeth.

" _Running would be a good idea_."

The two of us bolted in the opposite direction, Alice snatching up her pink backpack and slipping it on her tiny shoulders as she ran. My paws pounded the soft dirt beside her; I was determined not to lose sight of her.

She _was_ my only mean of escape, you know.

"Don't worry, Pikachu!" she panted beside me. "No matter what happens, I'll save you!"

I let another pfft sound escape my mouth and picked up the pace. " _Have fun with that_!" I yelled as I left her in the dust.

"Don't run ahead!" she snapped. "I said I'll protect—OW!"

Skidding to a stop, my paws scraping against the dirt and pebbles, I whipped around just in time to see two or three Spearow swoop down on Alice. She waved her hands around to shield herself, her eyes shut tightly.

In that split second I looked back at her, the rest of the Spearow flock shot down at me like bullets. Thousands of small beaks nipped at my yellow fur, millions of talons raked my pale skin. I grit my teeth I pain, trying to bite back a whimper that so desperately wanted to escape.

 _If Squirtle and Charmander saw me now, they would never let me live this down! Being bombarded by Spearow is just as worse as getting beaten by a Pokémon who has a type disadvantage against you in a battle!_

"Leave Pikachu alone!"

The biting slowed down as some of the Spearow backed off. My eyes opened slightly, and I saw Alice kneeling down, encasing her skinny arms around my body. She held me tightly, her face bruised and scratched, and her black hair splayed around the corners of her cheeks.

The Spearow kept pecking away at us, but Alice's arms blocked their raging beaks from me. Holding me close, she started running.

I bounced slightly in her arms, but she tried to keep me steady. My eyes drifted shut, despite how hard I forced them to stay open. I'll be honest—I nearly fell asleep in her arms. The pain from the scratches that were scattered along my body and the bumpy pace she ran at nearly sent me into temporary blackness.

Soon, the sound of rushing water filled my ears. My eyes snapped open, and I turned my head to peek over Alice's arm. She halted and swayed, trying to balance herself. Looking over her arm, my stomach dropped as I saw the crashing waves of a waterfall right below us.

With a look behind her at the charging Spearow, Alice took a deep breath. Her teeth chattered in fear, but one look at me caused her to stop.

"Here we go."

And just like that, she stepped over the edge and fell into the blue water.

I snatched a breath of air before hitting the cold liquid. Ice pounded through my body, and shivers overtook me. I shut my eyes tightly, afraid water would seep in.

I could feel Alice let go of me with one of her arms, and she swam furiously. I snuggled up to her soaked shirt, trying to find warmth in her embrace.

Suddenly, after a few seconds of swimming in liquid ice, I felt a slap of cold air. My teeth chattered as I felt myself and Alice hit the dirt ground with a _thud_.

Opening my eyes, I saw a tall girl with short orange hair pulled into a stubby sideways ponytail standing in front of us. Tiny blue shorts hugged her skinny waist, and her shoulders were bounded down by two red straps that looked like suspenders. A shirt made of thin yellow fabric reached down to the top of her stomach, partially exposing her belly button. Red and white sneakers with yellow stripes were laced on her feet, the shoelaces tied together like elegant ribbons.

Her hands on her hips, she sighed. "Nah, it's just a kid." She suddenly gasped and ran over to us once her light viridian eyes fell on me. "And a Pokémon!" She knelt down, her eyes flashing with sympathy as she stared at me. "Oh, are you okay?"

Alice's arms, which were coated with goosebumps, shifted as she sat up. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Not you!" the girl snapped. "Look at what you've done to that poor little thing! Is he breathing?"

Alice tensed up at her harsh tone, and she looked down at me. But I didn't look back at her. "I...I think so," she muttered.

The orange-haired girl seemed to be bristling with annoyance. "Well, don't just sit there! He needs a doctor right away! There's a medical center not too far from here. You've got to get moving now!"

My Trainer's eyes were glazed with confusion. "You mean a hospital?"

"Yes, for Pokémon."

"Can you tell me which way to go?"

The girl pointed to the direction begin us. "That way."

As Alice opened her mouth to thank her, her eyes suddenly went dark. Following her gaze, I saw those black blurry dots with spiky feathers start to block out the blue sky. The Spearow!

"They're coming back!" Alice shrieked. She looked around wildly and let out a relieved sigh. She ran over to a red bike laying on the ground.

"What are you doing?" the girl with orange hair asked.

"I'm borrowing this."

Her light viridian eyes flashed with anger. "Hey, that's my bike!"

Alice ignored her as she stood the bike up and placed me in the basket. She swung her leg over and sat herself on the seat, flashing the girl an apologetic gaze.

"I'll give it back someday!" And with that, she started pedaling away, leaving the girl in the dust behind us.

The wind breezed through my pointy black-tipped ears, sending shivers through my body. My arms and legs ached with the scratches and cuts the Spearow marked me with their sharp beaks. My eyes could barely stay open; I was exhausted already.

"Just hang on, Pikachu!" Alice shouted as my eyes began to close. "We're almost there!"

Overhead, the sky had become black and cloudy, and thunder echoed in the distance with a loud clap. Lightning struck in white flashes, making me flinch at the intensity of the bolts. Droplets of rain splattered onto my yellow fur, dampening it even more.

The Spearow flock now hovered over us, and a few swooped down to us. They slashed their beaks across Alice's cheeks, but no matter how much she waved her hand at them, they kept bouncing back.

The bike's tire suddenly jumped as it hit a pebble, and the entire bike flipped over. Alice shrieked as she went flying, her soaked, bruised form hitting the ground hard. I flew out of the basket, hitting the ground in front of her.

Laying on my side, I wanted to whimper in pain. I was soaked to the bone, freezing, injured, and terrified. I wanted to go home. I wanted Professor Oak. I didn't want to lay her eas the rain pounded on me like a drum.

"Pikachu!"

Alice crawled over to me, wincing as her skinned knees pressed against the dirt. She reached over and rested her gloved hand on my side. I didn't flinch at her touch, like I half-expected myself to.

Tears began to form in her blue eyes, but I couldn't find the energy in me to find entertainment in it. "Pikachu, this can't happen..."

Lightning flashed once more, and she flinched, her eyes shutting. However, she reached around to her belt and pulled out my Poké Ball. Immediately, my heart rate quickened.

"Pikachu, get inside." It wasn't a question as she pressed the button of the Ball, but her watery eyes said otherwise. "I know you're afraid of going in there, but if you're inside, maybe I can save you. Please, Pikachu. Please listen to me and go inside. After that, then...just trust me!"

She placed the Ball in front of me, and I stared at it with half-lidded eyes. She wasn't going to force me into it. She was asking me, but ultimately leaving the choice up to me. Although I wanted to listen to her, a larger part of me demanded me to stay defiant and ignore her.

Taking a deep breath, Alice stood up and turned around to face the flock of Spearow that hovered up above. Spreading her arms to shield me, she started yelling at the flock.

"Spearow, do you know who I am?!" Her voice was surprisingly loud and clear over the rumbles of thunder. "I'm Alice Ketchum from Pallet Town! I'm destined to be the world's number one Pokémon Master. I can't—no, I _won't_ be defeated by the likes of you."

Her words snapped me out of my daze of exhaustion, and I steadied myself on my paws slightly. I stared at her, watching as the Spearow gave her skeptical or hungry glances.

"I'm going to capture and defeat you all!" Alice continued to shout. "You hear me?!" She looked over her shoulder, the flash of lightning illuminating her eyes. "Pikachu, go inside the Poké Ball! It's the only way I can save you!"

I looked at the Poké Ball, and then back at her. " _No_." But this time, it wasn't in defiance for myself.

"Come and get me!" Alice screamed at the Spearow as thunder roared overhead.

As the numerous Spearow charged, I sprang to my paws and began running. Thousand of thoughts ran through my mind at once, but one stuck out like the sharp edge of broken glass: _I would not let anything hurt her._

This kid was risking her life for me—a spoiled brat of an Electric-type who seemed to hate her and everything she did. Yes, she was immature and needed to grow up, but she was willing to lay down her safety and own life to protect _me_.

My paws pounded against the squishy mud as I neared her form. I jumped onto her shoulder, where I felt her body warmth briefly, and pounced off towards the flock of Spearow.

" _I will not let you hurt her_!"

A lightning bolt lashed down from the sky as I felt myself vibrate with electric shocks. The bolt enveloped me, and my body felt like it was exploding. With a scream, I released the buildup of electrical power, blasting the flock of Spearow, and Alice, away.

* * *

The rain had stopped, a bright afternoon sun in its place. The thunder and lightning had disappeared, as well.

Beside me on the ground lay Alice, her eyes shut. She suddenly stirred and lifted them open, smiling when she saw me lying next to her.

"Well, we beat 'em," she whispered with a weak smile.

It took me a second to smile back. " _Yeah, kid. I guess we did_."

We both sat up, wincing from our wounds, but we were frozen in place when a shadow stretched across the ground in front of us. The two of us looked up to the sky, where a large golden bird soared majestically over us.

The bird's eyes locked onto mine, and I swear, I could almost hear its voice: " _I'll be watching you_."

As it flew away, leaving the two of us stunned, Alice whispered, "What kind of Pokémon is that?" The small red Pokédex answered her immediately.

 **There is no data. There are still Pokémon yet to be identified.**

* * *

Alice held me tightly in her arms as she walked slowly up the path. When she stopped to catch her breath, I leaned upwards and gently ran my tongue across her bruised cheek.

She jolted in surprise, but then stared at me with teary eyes. She tightened her arms around me in an embrace before starting her walk again.

 _She's not that bad_ , I thought to myself, _once you get used to her. You know, I think I'm gonna have fun traveling with her after all._

* * *

 **And that's the end! Hopefully in the future, I'll write more one-shots like these, but only at your requests. You can leave a request in a review if you'd like, also.**

 **Bye! I love you all, as always!**


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